Cars!

Well I am officially the new owner of a 2006 Toyota Camry!!!! This morning Dad and I left at 8a.m. for Bethany to eat breakfast out and then meet the man I bought the car from at 10a.m. Everything went very smoothly, but the guy kept wanting to talk to me and Dad and i just wanted to go check out my car! Haha. It runs sooooo smoothly and quietly and is just the prettiest little thing! It is a medium gray color with light gray pinstriping and a light gray interior. I am going to snap some photos tomorrow and will put them up here to show off ;)

My toe's condition has not improved.....in fact, I think it has gotten worse. Nearly half of my foot is purple now and my toe really looks bad. Ethan seems to think I have strained the top joint and broken the bottom one (the one closest to the toenail) which I think could be accurate because the first place that the bruising began to show up was right around the bottom joint at a specific point where I think a broken bone may have hit..........however, I'm no doctor :P Something I am worried about, however, is what Mom called Septicemia, i.e. Blood Poisoning. I guess when an infection gets into the bloodstream (which is possible when a bone breaks and an infection ensues) it can be deadly and can kill you quickly. Mom is having me take Cipro, a major antibiotic, for right now to prevent any infection incase my toe is broken, and hopefully this works. I guess Nick wants me to go to the doctor and stuff to have it checked out and such......he is so sweet and caring ;) Couldn't have asked for a better fiance :>

Car pictures to follow this post soon!

Santa Claus and Broken Toes

And so passes another Christmas and nearly another year with it. This year has really flown by and I have never felt more blessed in my whole life :) My family is amazing and so is my soon-to-be family (the Spotanskis). Greg, Wendy, and Lauren came down to Grandma and Grandpa's last night around 3p.m. and we all proceeded to talk, open early Christmas presents, eat, and then play a game of Catchprase and Pitch. Last year Lauren wasn't feeling good and was running a fever and so she didn't really have fun and enjoy Christmas. However, this year was so much different as she was full of it and was my buddy the whooooooollllllleeeee day ;) I even got to help her set out Santa's cookies and milk and the food for the reindeer ;) We then looked for Rudolph's nose (which she was soooooo excited to "see") before she headed to bed.

Greg and Wendy asked me if I would play Santa and put out his gifts to her under the tree so I headed downstairs with my hands full when I slipped on a stair and fell down about 7 or 8, landing hard and having the worst pain in my big right toe. I managed to hobble on down to the basement (after saying a few choice words I might add) and put the gifts under the tree before taking off my sock to reveal a swollen and hugely painful toe. It still hurts to stand on and is bruised and more swollen than ever. I can barely move it and really think that it may be broken, but alas! What can you do for a broken toe but rest and tape it.

Although this spoiled the rest of my Christmas Eve (which, luckily was pretty much over by then) I still have had the most amazing Christmas ever and really tried (and succeeded) to enjoy every moment because I know that Christmas will never be the same again because next year either Nick will be spending it with us there or I will be spending it with his family in Grand Island. However, even though it will be different, it will still be amazing because I will be spending the holidays with the ones that I love.

Thoughts Galore

The whole of last week I spent in Omaha with Nick, during which time we celebrated our Christmas together.

Me with the beautiful white sapphire necklace Nick got me :)

Nick with his turkey fryer :)

Omaha is really starting to feel like home now, and tonight, being back in Maysville, I feel oddly out of place and almost as a visitor.....We attended the church we will be getting married in (Lutheran Church of the Master) and we both really liked it. I am so glad we are starting church up....I read somewhere that the couple that attends church together at least 3 times per month has a 90% chance of a successful marriage, whereas couples who don't go have a startlingly lower success rate (although I can't remember the exact number.)

Christmas:

I can't believe that Christmas is only 3 days away! This year has really flown by and I am excited to see what 2009 has in store for us!

Cars:

Over the past several months my car has been acting up randomly and throwing a code saying that the transmission is slipping. The other day I decided that it was time for me to see about getting a loan and upgrading to what would/will be my family car someday. The credit union gave me the loan I needed and so I am now anxiously awaiting the check in the mail....and waiting....and waiting.....They said it was mailed Monday the 15th, and here it is the 22nd and still no check. I am, understandably, beginning to get frustrated because I found a 2006 Toyota Camry and put some hard money down for the man to hold it, telling him my circumstances (waiting on loan check) and I want to get the car home here ASAP so I can drive it around town and then test it out on my next trip to Omaha. Well I was originally scheduled to pick up the car today, but seeing as the loan check has not arrived I had to call the man and reassure him that I was NOT backing out, but that being the holiday season the mail must be running slower as my check has not arrived yet. I am just worried that he will get impatient and end up selling the car before i can get the money....Surely not, though. Will post an update on this matter soon hopefully!

Brighter Horizon

For weeks now I have been worrying about the results from my first Special Ed. Praxis II test and yesterday was the moment of truth......would I be stuck teaching English forever (stuck, even though I love it) or would I be halfway to achieving my goal of becoming certified to teach K-12 Sp. Ed??? Well I am happy to report that I am officially halfway certified as I PASSED!!!! I am registered to take the second Sp. ed praxis on January 10 and WHEN I pass it (not if) I will be totally certified!!!

Dr. Eicher (a great sp. ed. instructor of mine) wants to help me set up interviews here in Omaha with the Westside Community School system as soon as I pass both tests. The other day he told me about a neat opportunity that I might be interested in which would be being a Home Bound teacher who is someone that goes to homes of children who can't attend school because of, say, chemotherapy on cancer draining them. I think that would be so neat because I wouldn't be in the classroom all day every day and such. It sounds like the possibilities here in Omaha with a sp. ed. degree are endless :) I'm just excited to see what I end up doing a few months from now!!!

Sadness but Hope

So this Friday is my last day of working out at Grand Paws Kennel and I am so upset...I feel like that is the only place and Adrienne (my boss) is the only person to ever really give me a chance to show what I can do and to recognize the unique talents I have. I just feel like I 'belong' there and am extremely upset that my present condition (getting ready to student teach) won't allow me to continue working. Adrienne has been the best boss anyone could ever ask for and truely is a kindred spirit. I just hope someday I can have my own Boarding Kennel and be as successful and loved by clients as she is.

Nick knows that I want to run my own boarding kennel someday and he says he will do the paperwork and budgeting part which would free me up to working with the clients and their pets. I am super lucky to be marrying a man who is so supportive of my hopes and dreams and just hope that I can accomplish them someday. It just really sucks that I have to leave what I love doing (taking care of the dogs) and what I feel like my true calling is, but there are other things I need to do right now and all I can really do is keep this goal of mine in mind and strive to attain it someday.

The Day After Yesterday

So Ethan and I hit Walmart at 5a.m. this morning in search of a vacuum, paper shredder, Pixos, Hannah Montana beanbag chair, and some twin baby dolls. Well we both figured that with the economy going to hell in a handbasket that there wouldn't be many people out shopping this morning. WRONG!!! We pulled up over the little hill that Walmart is hidden behind in Cameron and saw, to our horror, that the parking lot was fuller than full!!!! Ethan and I both just looked at eachother and could have died wondering why in the world it was so busy; it wasn't until later that I remembered there were numerous tvs on sale as well as GPS units which surely were the things that drew such a crowd.

Well, Ethan and I got all we needed minus that Pixos and bean bag chair, which we found later at other Walmarts. Never before in my life have I see so many people out at the Black Friday sales...I even heard that Target had to call the police to break up a fight as did the Cameron Walmart!!!

So Nick was giving me a hard time about going out so early to shop but at about 6:50a.m. I got a message from him saying that he was in line at Cabella's waiting to check out! Needless to say I asked if he will be going with me next year as we'll be married and such, which he answered me with a laugh ;) Ethan and I have been doing this for several years now and it makes me sad to think that it could have been our last year for a while since Nick and I aren't sure how we're going to divide up the holidays yet....I am excited to get married but kind of sad that I won't be with my family (well, Mom, Dad, Ethan, Gma and Gpa anyways) for every one of them.
I am excited to start my life together as a married couple with Nick, though :)

Thanksgiving and Ethan

I can't believe that Thanksgiving season is almost upon me again! Then after Thanksgiving only a few short weeks until Christmas and still I have so much shopping to do :P For years Ethan (my brother) and I have wanted to go see/hear the Transiberian Orchestra in KC, so this year as his Christmas gift to me, he's taking me to see them and out to supper. I haven't gotten to see his dorm room yet and so he'll probably take me to show off his campus and such as well. This is all happening the saturday after Thanksgiving, just one day after Black Friday, so it will be a nice, but busy break!

Ethan got his first deer today when out hunting with Dad and Greg. It was a seven point buck and he said he was so nervous but thought it was neat because he was sitting alone in his own area and so had to rely on his instincts and skills to take him. I never have gotten a deer yet but hope that next year when Nick and I are married and we go bow hunting that I will be successful. Hopefully Nick gets a deer this year (he's out hunting for the next week!) so that we can make some jerkey and summer sausage :> My bed is calling my name and I'm afraid I must answer......

So I took my wedding dress to have alterations begun on it today and was prepared to shell out around $100 for it. Boy I was a glad to hear Mrs. Kagay say that it would only be about $20!!! I have heard so many horror stories of dress alterations costing hundreds of dollars, even more than the dress itself, and was prepared for the worst. Costs and such for this wedding are turning out great. Nick and I underguessed some stuff such as reception venue and photographer, but we payed less than half on a dj and ceremony site, so it has all evened out very nicely.
Next time I go to Nick's we are having engagement pictures taken which I am super excited about! Then we are also talking to and trying some cake at a bakery near our reception site. I have a picture of what I would like the cake to look like (Nick has given me free reign here) and so I am going to show them that and then tell them our budget and ask what they can do for that. We are also decorating for Christmas that weekend by putting up our tree, outside lights, and other indoor decorations. This will be out first Christmas together and so it will be such a nice experience. This year is really going fast and our wedding will be here before I know it, but for right now I'm trying to just enjoy the moment and the holidays :)

Election Thoughts

You know, I was thinking earlier today about how upset I was about Obama being elected President. The main reasons being becasue he supports abortion, gay marriage, and gun control. Well, the more I thought about it, the more I came to realize that even if abortion or gay marriage was illegal, there would be people figuring out how to get around it somehow. This being the case, I don't think Obama's thoughts on this stuff is as detrimental as I had initially thought. That's not saying that I agree with anything he does, but I do think that eight years is long enough for any one party to be in control. Oh, I just don't know....I am so torn. Signing off from the edge of sanity...

First Thoughts

Blogging is a concept that is foreign to me, and so I am just now getting my feet wet. Although I have been "facebooking" for quite a while, this is a completely different area for me. I have always loved journaling, but sometimes physically writing tires me, and let's face it....it just takes more time. So here goes my attempt at electronic journaling....or blogging as some call it :)

This semester at school has been one of the toughest yet, second only to the semester I did Junior experience. However, next semester I am doing my student teaching, and so I know that that will be the most challenging one ever. I am ready, no, beyond ready for graduation and just turned in my application for graduation the other day! What came as a surprise (but shouldn't have) is the fact that I had to PAY $40 for my degree/to graduate! How incredily crazy is that? I guess the college figures it's their last chance to suck some money out of a population that is already thousands of dollars in the hole.

The holiday season is nearly upon us! The next time I am at Nick's (my fiance) in Omaha we are going to decorate for Christmas! It's super exciting because it is our first Christmas together and all. Life has been indescribable since we met back in April or May (can't remember which!) and ever since that day has progressed nicely. We really compliment eachother well and bring out the best in eachother.

Today was election day and I cast my vote for the lesser of two evils (I think), John McCain. I have a feeling that Obama is going to win, but if that's the case and the country goes down the tubes, then at least I can deny responsibility :) Time to tune into the results posted thus far.....